Means for indicating opening of the cases of watchmen s clocks and the like



A. F. NANZ MEANS FOR INDICATING OPENING OF THE CASES OF WATCHMENS CLOCKS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- I7, I9I3. 1 1 96, 1 39. Patent/ed Aug. 29, 1916.

gm ww w AUGUST F. NANZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MEANS FOR INDICATING- OPENING OF THE CASES OF WATCHMENS CLOCKS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

Application filed October 17, 1913. Serial No. 795,760.

, Means for Indicating Opening of the Cases of \Vatchmens Clocks and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for indicating opening of the cases of watchmens clocks and the like.

A watchmans clock usually comprises a time movement arranged to drive a dial or record sheet of some impressible material,

' such as paper; and in connection with such mechanism there is provided marking mechanism, usually arranged to be operated by a number of different keys, each key, when used, causing a distinctive impression to be made upon the said dial. The dial and the mechanism for driving it, are usually inclosed within a case which, when in the hands of the watchman, is locked so that he cannot open it; and the watchman operates the marking mechanism to make the impressions on the dial before referred to, by inserting the several keys into a suitable key hole provided in the said case. The case is usually provided with a cover which, when the case is unlocked, can be removed or swung back; and such opening of the case of necessity exposes the dial. It is desirable to provide means whereby the case may not be unlocked without a mark indicating such unlocking being made on the dial. Heretofore various devices have been provided whereby, when the case is unlocked or is opened, a hole is punched in the dial, Or other mark made on the dial indicating the unlocking of the case or the opening thereof; but such detecting devices have usually been so constructed that they interfere with the removal of the movement from the case, the removal of such detecting device, or of some portion thereof, having been, usually, a necessary preliminary to the removal of the movement itself. By the invention herein described I provide a detecting or marking device which marks the dial or record sheet whenever the case is unlocked, this detecting device being so constructed, however, that it does not interfere with the removal of the movement from the case; so that once the cover of the case has been swung back or otherwise moved out of the way, the movement may be removed from the case without interference by any portion of the said detector mechanism.

My lnvention consists, therefore, in improved means for indicating opening or unlocking of the clock case, such means so constructed as not to interfere with the removal of the dial-driving mechanism from the clock case.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved and simplified device for indicating the opening or unlocking of watchmens clocks and the like, which shall not interfere with the removal of the movement from such case.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will then point out the novel features in the claim. In said drawings:

Figure 1 shows a top view of a watchmans clock embodying my invention, the cover of the case having been swung back, and a portion of the dial having been broken away to show the lance or marking instrument and the hole in the top movement plate through which it works. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation and partial section of the clock case and contents thereof, the section being so taken as to show the marking mechanism of my present invention. Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary side view of the clock. Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary transverse section of the clock, the section being taken on the section line shown in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows of that figure. Fig. 5 is a similar fragmentary section taken on the same section line and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow ;z 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the mechanism of the cover-lock of the clock, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of such cover lock, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 6.

In the drawings numeral 1 designates the main portion of the case of the clock, and 2 the hinged cover thereof.

3 designates the upper movement plate of the mechanism for driving the dial or record sheet, and 4: designates the said dial. I have not shown the dial driving mechanism or the main dial-marking mechanism, as these two mechanisms may be of any suitable construction, the particular construction of such mechanisms not forming a portion of the present invention. The case is provided,

as is common in this type of looks, with a cover-lock, of which 5 is the lock frame, 6 the usual sliding lock bolt, and 7 7 are the usual lock tumblers. The particular construction of this lock mechanism forms no portion of my present invention, and any suitable lock may be employed. The cover 2 of the clock case is provided with a hasp 8 adapted to be engaged by the lock bolt 6 in one position of that bolt; and when the hasp is so engaged the cover 2 is held against opening.

9 designates a lever pivoted to the upper movement plate 3 and provided with a marking device 10, here indicated as having the form of a lance or prick-point. This lance works through a hole 11 in the movement plate 3. A spring 12 tends to hold the lance in retracted position, out of engagement with the dial' 4. A stop 13 is provided for the lever 9. The lock bolt 6 is provided with a pin 14 projecting through a slot 15 in the lock plate 5 into position to engage the outer end of the lever 9 when the lock bolt 6 is moved either forward or back. To facilitate the passage of this pin 14 past the lance-operating lever 9, the lower portion of the pin 14 is preferably rounded, as indicated in Fig. 4, and for the same reason the end portion of the lance-operating lever 9 is approximately of inverted V-form, as appears particularly in Fig. 5. It will be apparent that whenever the lock bolt 6 is moved from unlocked to locked position, or vice versa, the pin 14, in passing the lever 9, will depress the outer end of that lever and will raise the inner end of that lever, in each case pressing the lance 10 against and through the dial 4 and so making a mark on that dial.

In the use of a clock fitted with this detecting device, after the case has been opened and a new dial has been put in place, the cover will be closed and the lock bolt 6 moved to locking position, (by a suitable lock-key, not shown) so holding the cover 2 against opening; and the movement of the bolt 6 toward locking position will cause its pin 14 to depress the outer end of the lance-lever 9, so causing the lance 10 to pierce the dial. The engagement of the lance with the dial is momentary only; for before the lock bolt 6 is completely in locked position the pin 14 will have disengaged the lance-lever 9, and therefore said lance lever will have retreated. This first puncture of the dial indicates the time of locking of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

clock. As the movement of the clock operates, this dial is gradually advanced, and whenever the case is unlocked by moving the lock bolt 6 back to unlocked position, the pin 14 of the lock bolt again depresses the outer end of the lance lever 9, causing that lance to again puncture the dial, so indicating upon the dial the time when the case was unlocked. Whatever unlocking the case, i. 6., Whether such case be unlocked to remove the dial, or to inspect the dial, or possibly to tamper with the mechanism of the clock, the dial is punctured before the case can be opened.

Since the lance lever 9 is not a part of the case lock, but is carried by the movement of the clock, and since this lance lever 9 is out of engagement with the pin 14, except when the lock bolt is being shot from one position to another, the presence of the lance 10 and lance lever 9 on one of the movement plates of the clock does not interfere in the slightest with the removal of the movement from the case, when such removal is desired. Since the pin 14 projects only a very short distance beyond the lock frame 5, and also since the lower movement plate 16 is (as is customary) of somewhat smaller diameter than the upper movement plate, this pin 14 does not interfere with the removal of the movement from the case.

17, in Fig. 3, designates the usual keyhole through which a suitable key may be inserted into the lock to move the lock bolt 6.

What I claim is The combination with a case having a removable cover and a lock for that cover, of record-sheet carrying and operating means within that case but removable therefrom, when the case is open, and comprising record-sheet marking means adapted to be actuated by operation of said coverlock, but physically disconnected from said coverlock, and constructed for removal from the case with said record-sheet carrying and operating means without interference with or by said lock, said cover-lock provided with means which actuates said marking means when the lock is operated.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two sub- AUGUST F. NANZ.

scribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

THEODORE P. NANZ, H. M. MARBLE.

by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

be the purpose of 

